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Search 69,459 Camino Questions

Hat or No Hat? That is the question!

Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
Depends on how much hair you have and are you asking for heat or cold purposes?

I have a snood which can serve as many different things:)

Buen Camino
 
I would say yes. A wide brimmed one for shade will also work when its wet. Don't forget, you can't put it on if you haven't got it with you (my old dad's favourite gem!!) ;)

Buen Camino.
 
Very light, comfortable and compressible poncho. Specially designed for protection against water for any activity.

Our Atmospheric H30 poncho offers lightness and waterproofness. Easily compressible and made with our Waterproof fabric, its heat-sealed interior seams guarantee its waterproofness. Includes carrying bag.

€60,-
I hate wearing a hat since I find it really hot. I do wear a Buff...keeps the sweat off my face and neck. I am bringing a very lightweight running cap to wear with my poncho and keep the rain off my glasses.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
I tend to be either a bandanna or baseball hat kinda guy! In Texas heat, I wear a hat 50% of the time when I am doing outside activities. The heat is not the issue, it is the sweat in my eyes. I may just
 
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
Leaving on 5th September and will start walking from Castrojeriz on the 7th. Having checked the weather forecast for September, I most definitely will be wearing a broad brimmed hat. There are enough problems to worry about without inviting sun stroke and severe burning. Hat is useful too when you get real warm and get to a fountain. Soak it and put it back on, very cooling. On the only really hot day we got on our first leg in March from Pamplona to Castrojeriz the hat was a God send
 
Leaving on 5th September and will start walking from Castrojeriz on the 7th. Having checked the weather forecast for September, I most definitely will be wearing a broad brimmed hat. There are enough problems to worry about without inviting sun stroke and severe burning. Hat is useful too when you get real warm and get to a fountain. Soak it and put it back on, very cooling. On the only really hot day we got on our first leg in March from Pamplona to Castrojeriz the hat was a God send
I leave from SJPdP on September 6th. Thanks for the input.
 
I leave from SJPdP on September 6th. Thanks for the input.
At the speed I walk you will probably overtake me:) By the way, on the first leg in March we were walking with Texans from Houston area I think, Big Jim Cashion and his daughter and her friend. Lovely folk who made the days we spent together great fun. They made it all the way after we parted in Burgos
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
I also join in the league of Tilley-hat wearers. Baseball caps leave the ears and the back of the neck exposed. I have a farming cousin who now goes to 4H meetings to show his skin-cancer-bitten ears and to urge farmers to throw away their baseball caps and get broad-brimmed hats. The Tilley (and I imagine its competitors) is useful in hot weather as it can be doused in water and then becomes a portable air-conditioner for the wearer. It takes care of an astonishing amount of water in the rain. As a pale-skinned person (whose mother has had several years of skin cancer treatments), I would not think of issuing on to the trail without a hat.
 
I would suggest you bring a hat, you will absolutely need it to avoid sunburn to your head and also keep away the rain. You can get a foldable hat for a couple of euros at the china bazars in spain.

Buen camino.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
The sun loves to kiss uncovered ears and the back of the neck. Feels good at the time but not so good if you get burnt. It was very hot the year I walked in September and a wide-brimmed hat was a necessity.
 
Yes. In fact, I had two. One baseball cap to keep the rain off my glasses, one camo "boonie" (brim all around) to keep the sun off. I used them both.
Kathy
 
I leave in September. Will I need a hat?

I vote for a hat. Even with my very full head of hair, I have been badly sunburned along a part line, all the while thinking my hair was protecting me. And then, too, it is about time I come to terms with the sad fact that my "very full head of hair" isn't really all that "very full" at this time of my life. The consequences of a bad sunburn are not worth the risk of not wearing a hat, preferably a hat that shades the neck and face as well.

Tom
 
New Original Camino Gear Designed Especially with The Modern Peregrino In Mind!
I think a hat is essential! My experience was that I wore a floppy hat with a good brim every day of my walk. It protected my eyes and kept rain off my balding head and also extended the hood of my jacket so that I could see ahead and not have my head down in the snow and rain. It also keeps you warm. I also wore my buff with it everyday as well. It's a personal choice so go with what will make you comfortable. Buen Camino
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
I would never go without a hat either. Even while walking in September the sun was very intense. For sun protection I wore a cap with along bill & sunglasses as well. Many people wore wide brim hats to protect their ears & eyes. Those who wear glasses will probably need protection from glare or if it rains then to keep rain off your face. A good hat should be on top of your list IMO.
 
Definitely a wise-rimmed hat. You're spending a lot of time in the sun. Also, nice to have for light showers/sprinkles.
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
For me its my trusty, go-anywhere, indestructible camo floppy that weighs in at just under 70g. Lighter and more stowable than a Tilley, not to mention much cheaper and more comfortable. Combine that with a buff and some polarised sunnies, you're ready to take on George The Animal Steele. :cool:
 
YES, and make sure it has a brim. I walked in March once wearing a running cap and got terribly burned on the tops of my ears.
 
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
Yes, you will need a hat at least some of the time. Draw string on the hat is also useful as it gets very windy on the Meseta.
 
At the speed I walk you will probably overtake me:) By the way, on the first leg in March we were walking with Texans from Houston area I think, Big Jim Cashion and his daughter and her friend. Lovely folk who made the days we spent together great fun. They made it all the way after we parted in Burgos
You haven't seen this fat boy walk! Actually, I think I can hit a good pace. Maybe we will meet up along the way.
 
I vote for a hat. Even with my very full head of hair, I have been badly sunburned along a part line, all the while thinking my hair was protecting me. And then, too, it is about time I come to terms with the sad fact that my "very full head of hair" isn't really all that "very full" at this time of my life. The consequences of a bad sunburn are not worth the risk of not wearing a hat, preferably a hat that shades the neck and face as well.

Tom
I think I am convinced.
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
For me its my trusty, go-anywhere, indestructible camo floppy that weighs in at just under 70g. Lighter and more stowable than a Tilley, not to mention much cheaper and more comfortable. Combine that with a buff and some polarised sunnies, you're ready to take on George The Animal Steele. :cool:
Worked in some WWF! Nice!
 
I too will be leaving SJPDP on Sept. 6. I hate the confines of a hat, so have opted for a sun visor, plus a large bandana which will cover my ears and neck as needed, plus perhaps a lace version for partial shade/air. I'll see how that works. And my Altus style poncho will have some stiffening in the visor section (as soon as I've made it!).
 
I too will be leaving SJPDP on Sept. 6. I hate the confines of a hat, so have opted for a sun visor, plus a large bandana which will cover my ears and neck as needed, plus perhaps a lace version for partial shade/air. I'll see how that works. And my Altus style poncho will have some stiffening in the visor section (as soon as I've made it!).
See you there!!!
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
I hate the confines of a hat, so have opted for a sun visor, plus a large bandana which will cover my ears and neck as needed, plus perhaps a lace version for partial shade/air.
This sounds like it will work if you are averse to wearing a full brimmed hat. The tops of the ears are particularly vulnerable, and baseball style caps or visors are not good at providing the protection that they need.

I have recently moved from a OR sombrero style hat to a Tilley, and find it a good choice for both sun and rain protection. With the sombrero, it would not fit easily under a rain jacket hood, and it was a choice between hood and hat. The shape of the Tilley allows it to be worn under a hood if that extra protection is needed. Better, the brim is stiff enough to keep the hood material away from the side of my face, and that stops the noise of the hood rubbing against my ears.

Regards,
 
I leave in September. Will I need a hat?
Yes, definitely! I wore my OR broadrimmed hat every day. I realize the sun is behind you most of the day, but it's great to keep blowing dust and pollen out of your eyes and hair, cuts UV exposure and direct sunlight on your face, neck and ears, keeps you cool when it's hot, and warm when it's cold. I walked in May from SJPP to Santiago and used my hat with a buff on the cold windy days in the upper altitudes. I never got a sunburn or heat stroke and it kepts my eyeglasses dry when worn with a raincoat with hood as well.
 
A hat. Don't leave home without it.

I'm blessed with a clean scalp, no offending hair on top. A hat is essential for warmth in the cold and shade in the heat.
 
New Original Camino Gear Designed Especially with The Modern Peregrino In Mind!
If you like a little more ventilation then some Tilley hats have a mesh grid band round the crown. The others just have vent holes which I find hotter.
 
Down bag (90/10 duvet) of 700 fills with 180 g (6.34 ounces) of filling. Mummy-shaped structure, ideal when you are looking for lightness with great heating performance.

€149,-
Now I will throw a spanner into the conversation - an umbrella. My Go-Lite has been wonderful. It has a reflective outside and black inside. Is light as a feather and lives up to its promise of protecting from UV rays and markedly dropping the temperature under its brim. Maybe boys would not even consider this.
Added benefits: provides cover when the next WC is just too far away, when closed will help herd a flock of sheep along the path, does not leave the wearer with "hat hair". May even act as an antenna to improve phone reception. ;)
For your consideration.
 
Now I will throw a spanner into the conversation - an umbrella. My Go-Lite has been wonderful. It has a reflective outside and black inside. Is light as a feather and lives up to its promise of protecting from UV rays and markedly dropping the temperature under its brim. Maybe boys would not even consider this.
Added benefits: provides cover when the next WC is just too far away, when closed will help herd a flock of sheep along the path, does not leave the wearer with "hat hair". May even act as an antenna to improve phone reception. ;)
For your consideration.

I saw pilgrims carrying an umbrella for rain protection, but they also wore a hat. Do you carry open all the time? And what do you wear for wind protection?
 
Hats are absolutely necessary -- and not just a crummy baseball cap, a proper wide-brimmed hat.

They are essential protection from sunstroke, and they are extremely useful in the rain, particularly for those wearing glasses.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Full disclosure-I have not done the Camino yet. My feet hit the path on late September. I live close to the ocean and have done my test run on the boardwalk. My umbrella stood up well against the constant breeze the ocean ocean through at it.
Taking my cue from ladies of Victorian times I do not go for a walk in the sun without my Go-Lite.
 
The air holes at the sides on my Tilley hat allowed any gusts of wind there were to cool my bald pate. A parasol is worth thinking about but would the handle not act as a potential lightning conductor in stormy weather?
 
Very light, comfortable and compressible poncho. Specially designed for protection against water for any activity.

Our Atmospheric H30 poncho offers lightness and waterproofness. Easily compressible and made with our Waterproof fabric, its heat-sealed interior seams guarantee its waterproofness. Includes carrying bag.

€60,-
Hats always make my head too sweaty. I used my home-made visor every day. I took the peak from a baseball cap and attached it to a portion cut from a regular buff. It kept the sun out of my eyes, my hair off my face, and mopped the perspiration from my brow. In wet weather it kept my raincoat hood from dropping over my eyes and kept the rain off my face. The buff section of the visor could be worn over my ears if it was a bit chilly (and occasionaly to keep my ill-fitting ear phones in place). There was only one day when I didn't wear it, when there were howling winds threatening to rip it off and send it into the next province.
image.jpg
I also had a buff 'infinity' a much longer tube of fabric, which spent most of my camino wrapped around my neck, but once or twice in extreme sunshine was draped over my head for protection, and on several very cold and windy days was wrapped tightly around my head. It was also useful in the evenings as a wrap for extra warmth and could have been used as a pillow cover or even as a towel for those very keen on multi tasking items.
 
I echo the buff suggestion. I brought two because they are so versatile. Even used one to wrap my ankle at one point. It also proves good for an eye mask when you want to sleep and keeps ear plugs a bit more secure in your ears to help ignore snoring.
 
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
I think I may just get a light weight floppy hat. Thanks for all the help.
 
A Tilley hat is the best choice, indestructible, rain proof, and good sun protection. You can roll it up in a ball or crush it flat, or run it through the washing machine, and with a little encouragement ( instructions in the hat) it springs back to its original shape....its magic! Also, if anything goes wrong with it, ever, they will give you a new one!
 
A Tilley hat is the best choice, indestructible, rain proof, and good sun protection.
As are many other medium width scalloped brim hats. I own a Tilley, but it is one of several brands that offer these characteristics. Sea to Summit, Watership and Drizabone all market somewhat similar hats in Australia. Some are wax cotton and offer better rain protection, most have substantial brims that hold their shape when damp, they are all crushable, etc, etc. There are only two things that uniquely distinguish the Tilley in this company - it is the only medium brim hat that I have with both a chin and a neck strap, and it was the most expensive.

Good choice - yes. Best choice - if you have the budget.
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
I have always worn a hat, a wide brim style with ventilated top.

Keeps the sun of my face when it is hot and sunny and the rain off my face when it raining cats and dogs

Can not imagine not wearing a hat while walking the camino.
 
I wouldn't walk around the block without a wide brimmed hat,it protects the eyes,top of the head ,keeps the rain off. It also prevents you from going to surgery to have skin cancers cut off the top of your ears & nose.......baseball caps might be fashionable, but,skin cancers love them !!!! The trouble being,sometimes they show up later on in life & that is speaking from experience !!!.........Vicrev
 
I have an Orvis packable hat I take with me everywhere. The brim is wide enough to keep the rain off, provide shade and stop the light hitting my face so I don't get reflection on the screen of my digital camera. I mistreat it and it's never let me down. Warm in the cold, fine in the sun and probably one of the best buys I ever made. Not cheap, but very effective.

On any trip a hat of some sort is needed (even if you hate the things) just because of the variety of weather you're likely to run across. I reckon the Camino de Santiago is no exception.
 
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Canadians can lose their citizenship for NOT wearing a Tilley hat on the Camino, I have been told. I think it is mentioned somewhere in "Oh, Canada," too, but I don't know the full lyrics. I just sing "Oh Canada" over and over when the anthem comes up in the Olympics, which it does when Canada beats the U.S. in ice hockey.;)
 
Didn't know what a Tilley was. Kind of like a Trilby without the tril. I'm not Canadian, so I guess I'll live when I wear mine :)
 
The Tilly hat is a Canadian icon. Find a person wearing a Tilly you can almost be sure that they will be Canadian or somebody pretending to be Canadian.

If you discover a person wearing both a Tilly hat and MEC clothing (the other Canadian icon) then they are a bonafide Canadian - no need to check their passport.
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
Yes a hat is necessary. Protection from sun, wind, rain, bird crap, etc.

I like Outdoor Research Palliser Cap.
 
Tilley for me, and I'm not a Canadian. Just an Oregonian who recognizes a good hat when she sees one.
 
The Tilly hat is a Canadian icon. Find a person wearing a Tilly you can almost be sure that they will be Canadian or somebody pretending to be Canadian.

If you discover a person wearing both a Tilly hat and MEC clothing (the other Canadian icon) then they are a bonafide Canadian - no need to check their passport.
Tilleys are sold worldwide. It would be very rude to treat every Tilley wearer as a Canadian or assume they are pretending to be one :(
 
Very light, comfortable and compressible poncho. Specially designed for protection against water for any activity.

Our Atmospheric H30 poncho offers lightness and waterproofness. Easily compressible and made with our Waterproof fabric, its heat-sealed interior seams guarantee its waterproofness. Includes carrying bag.

€60,-
All very tongue and cheek.

In fact I bought and wore one some 20 years ago. Back then it was only available in Canada. I even had a pair of shorts too. But the hat fell apart after a few too many washes ( don't believe the story about the elephant eating the hat). And the shorts went soon after too.

Instead of shelling out another 100 dollars for a new hat I bought a 10 dollar knock off which has outlasted the original Tilly hat.

Ditto on the shorts.
 
1. One should always wear a hat!
2. Jirit, Fancy not returning your broken Tilley - they instantly replace it with a brand new one (shorts or anything else too!) My husband wore his out cos he wears it 365 days a year landscaping or a pilgrimaging, they replaced it, and returned the tattered one. So now he has a really tatty one for in the garden at home, a slightly tatty one to wear at work and walking - and he's bought another - to wear for best! If Devon wasn't so nice I'd move to Canada...
 
Truth is I did not want to start to look like Alex Tilly himself, so when the Tilly hat and shorts bit the dust, I thought it time to change my wardrobe.
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
I have a berghaus wide brimmed hat, and a buzz and some spf50. Tilley are nice hats though but try a few on and see what you prefer:)
 
What is a 'buzz' and what does it do?

It is a brand of something that may in the UK be called a "snood". Basically it's a long tube made of a lightweight technical material that one can wear as a bandana, mask, scarf etc depending on how you fold/manipulate it. Very versatile I find!

HTH
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
It is a brand of something that may in the UK be called a "snood". Basically it's a long tube made of a lightweight technical material that one can wear as a bandana, mask, scarf etc depending on how you fold/manipulate it. Very versatile I find!

HTH

You mean these?
http://www.buffwear.com/

:)
 
I always wear a cap, rain or shine. And I also carry a large handkerchief to use if its too sunny and need to protect my neck & ears. Just place it on my head so both my ears & neck are protected and hold it in place with my cap. Both are light in weight and don´t take up much room.
Buen Camino!
 
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The first edition came out in 2003 and has become the go-to-guide for many pilgrims over the years. It is shipping with a Pilgrim Passport (Credential) from the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.
I stopped into EMS yesterday and looked at the Tilley hats. They are very nice but a bit on the pricey side I thought. I will probably break down and get one though for use on the Camino. They seem to be very versatile and well made......
 
My Tilley hat has been to Spain 5 years in a row. Plus training walks, holidays in the UK etc. and it is still going strong. The Tilley is designed to sit low down on the head so make sure you get the right size. It does protect nose, ears and neck from sunburn and I have never found the need to use sunblock.

blessings
Tio Tel
 
My Tilley hat has been to Spain 5 years in a row. Plus training walks, holidays in the UK etc. and it is still going strong. The Tilley is designed to sit low down on the head so make sure you get the right size. It does protect nose, ears and neck from sunburn and I have never found the need to use sunblock.

blessings
Tio Tel
Thx Terri. I did not know about the sizing so especially appreciate those words of wisdom....
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
I always wear a hat, I get very easily a sunstroke, even in "light" sunshine. Been there, got the t-shirt, not an experience I want to repeat! SY
 
I brought a (very) broad-rimmed hat but switched to a cap because the brim touched the upper part of my backpack and so kept falling of my head. It was annoying. A cap with some protection for the neck would be an option for me.
 
You can fold up the back of your hat brim so it doesn't knock against your pack. That bothers me, too, so on several hats I use for hiking I just sewed a snap on the brim in the back so I can snap it up and out of the way when I have my pack on, then undo it when I don't.
 
Down bag (90/10 duvet) of 700 fills with 180 g (6.34 ounces) of filling. Mummy-shaped structure, ideal when you are looking for lightness with great heating performance.

€149,-
When I hiked the Camino Frances I saw a lot of Buffs... Men an women alike!

I was tempted to buy one over there but didn't because I already had a bandanna.

They seem to be good for any weather condition... If its hot you wet it and put it around your neck, if it's cold you put it on your ears, if you are challenged in the hair growing department you can wear it as a bandanna.

Wear something comfy and protects you from the sun! That's my advice! Skin cancer is a serious thing and you are in the sun for a VERY long time each day...

Buen camino,
Zac
 
If you do not wear a wide brim sombrero style hat be sure to slather your ears with sunscreen. Face, neck & ears. (No, I'm not your mother) I also wore a bandanna around my neck to keep the sun off. Last September is did not rain once while I was walking. Sun, Sun & more Sun.
 
I am in Los Arcos and I DO NOT LIKE HATS! But, one makes a great difference here. It is HOT right now. I put my hat under the water at. Fountains...oh boy! It shades my eyes and keeps most of the PESKY flies out of my face. I LOVE my hat!
 
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